(HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND)—Maryland Lyric Opera (MDLO) continues its full-force reinvention with the announcement of its 2018–2019 season, expanding the number of full-scale opera productions in the Washington-Baltimore region and featuring some of the biggest stars of opera alongside rising young stars nurtured by the company. The season includes a concert version of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, September 14–15, 2018 at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, and a fully staged production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, January 24–26, 2019 at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Kay Theatre in College Park; a series of semi-staged concerts with the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra celebrating the greatest hits of two giants of Italian opera: Verdi on May 17–19, 2019 and Puccini on June 7–9, 2019 at the Kay Theatre; and the continued expansion of its signature MDLO Young Artist Institute, the cornerstone of its revitalization plan announced earlier in the season, both in Maryland and in Beijing, China.

“I am proud that our 2018–2019 season will fully deliver on the promise we made to the community when we reorganized last October, including producing operatic gems like La Fanciulla del West that are rarely performed in Maryland,” said MDLO Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark. “Providing more opportunities for all of the talented musicians in our region—including both principal singers and the fine members of our new Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus—is central to our mission. We plan to keep everyone very busy in the coming season, and in the future seasons we are already planning.”

“I am very excited about the casts we have assembled for our two major productions, and I am gratified that our MDLO Young Artist Institute is achieving its promise of creating a pipeline of fresh voices from our studio to our mainstage,” said MDLO Music Director Louis Salemno. “The esteemed José Miguel Cueto will serve as Concertmaster, and we continue to grow our music staff with the recent appointments of Steven Gathman as Chorus Master, Hai Jin and Husan Park as Assistant Conductors, and other key support staff. More appointments are coming very soon—MDLO is ready for the next phase of our development in the coming season, and we look forward to growing our audience in tandem with the growth of our artistic offerings.”

The 2018–2019 Season

La Fanciulla del West in Concert

(The Girl of The Golden West)

September 14 and 15, 2018

Puccini’s rarely performed masterwork La Fanciulla del West, a romantic Western epic featuring one of opera’s greatest scores and lushest orchestrations, comes to North Bethesda’s elegant The Music Center at Strathmore in a special concert version on Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15, 2018. Casting for the Friday performance includes renowned British soprano Susan Bullock, one of the world’s most in-demand dramatic sopranos who was last seen locally in the title role in Elektra for Washington National Opera in 2008, as the heroine Minnie. Tenor Jonathon Burton appears in one of his most celebrated roles, the bandit Dick Johnson, and acclaimed baritone Mark Delavan, a veteran of WNO productions of Aida and The Force of Destiny, is the sheriff Jack Rance. The Saturday cast features American star soprano Jill Gardner who recently performed the role with Virginia Opera as Minnie; Chinese tenor Yi Li *±, a recent winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, as Dick Johnson; and Russian-American baritone Aleksey Bogdanov *± as Jack Rance. The full Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra will be center stage along with the Maryland Lyric Opera Chorus, and the evening is conducted by Music Director Louis Salemno.

Minnie: Susan Bullock/Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs

Jack Rance: Mark Delavan/Aleksey Bogdanov *±

Dick Johnson: Jonathan Burton/Yi Li *±

Nick: Joseph Michael Brent *

Ashby: Kenneth Kellogg *±

Sonora: SeungHyeon Baek *

Wowkle: Catherine Martin ‡

Jake Wallace/Billy Jackrabbit: Norman Garrett ±

Jose Castro: Jose Sacín

Bello: Yazid Gray *

Harry: Jesus Daniel Hernandez ±

Joe: Mauricio Miranda ±

Happy: Hunter Enoch *±

Postiglione: Antonio Chase *

Conductor: Louis Salemno

Chorus Master: Steven Gathman

Lighting Designer: Joan Sullivan-Genthe

Tickets start at $50 and are on sale NOW at Strathmore.org or (301) 581-5100

* Alumnus of MDLO Young Artist Institute

± Alumnus of Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program

Donizetti’s beloved tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor receives a fully staged production in The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s intimate Kay Theatre in College Park Thursday, January 24 to Saturday, January 26, 2019. The legendary Nick Olcott directs the production and Maryland Lyric Opera Music Director Louis Salemno conducts the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra. A full production creative team will be announced in the coming months. Maeve Höglund, a rising American soprano who is making her mark at regional opera companies across the country and joins the MDLO Young Artist Institute this summer, sings the iconic title role at the Thursday and Saturday performances. Joining her are three alumni of the MDLO Young Artist Institute and the Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program: baritone Javier Arrey as Enrico, tenor Yi Li as Edgardo, and bass Wei Wu as Raimondo. For the Friday performance, rising South Korean soprano Nayoung Ban sings the title role, following her training in the MDLO Young Artist Institute. Singing alongside her are baritone SeungHyeon Baek, tenor Yongxi Chen, and bass Hunter Enoch. Tenor Antonio Chase is Arturo at all performances.

Lucia: Maeve Höglund*/Nayoung Ban *

Enrico: Javier Arrey *±/SeungHyeon Baek *

Edgardo: Yi Li *±/Yongxi Chen *†

Arturo: Antonio Chase* (all dates)

Raimondo: Wei Wu *±/Hunter Enoch *±

Conductor: Louis Salemno

Director: Nick Olcott

Lighting Designer: Joan Sullivan-Genthe

Tickets start at $20 and will go on sale in August 2018

* Alumnus of MDLO Young Artist Institute

± Alumnus of Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program

† MDLO Beijing Competition Winner

‡ MDLO Competition Winner

An Evening of Verdi, May 17 and 19, 2019

Current singers and alumni of the MDLO Young Artist Institute perform An Evening of Verdi, Friday, May 17, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 2 p.m. in The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Kay Theatre in College Park. Featuring semi-staged excerpts from the composer’s classics, including scenes from Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata, the evening features the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra conducted by Music Director Louis Salemno. The concert is staged by Nick Olcott with lighting design by Joan Sullivan-Genthe.

Tickets start at $20 and will go on sale in August 2018

An Evening of Puccini, June 7 and 9, 2019

Current singers and alumni of the MDLO Young Artist Institute perform An Evening of Puccini, Friday, June 7, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 2 p.m. in The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Kay Theatre in College Park. Featuring semi-staged excerpts from the composer’s classics, including scenes from La Bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly, the evening features the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra conducted by Music Director Louis Salemno. The concert is staged by Nick Olcott with lighting design by Joan Sullivan-Genthe.

Tickets start at $20 and will go on sale in August 2018

Continued expansion of the MDLO Young Artist Institute

The MDLO Young Artist Institute experienced tremendous growth in the 2017–2018 season – its four program sessions in Maryland drew 345 applicants, and its single program in Beijing, China drew 70 applicants. During the 2018–2019 season, the Institute will combine its sessions into two intensive program periods in Maryland to better align with its robust schedule of performances. MDLO will continue its work in China, a rich source of vocal talent, and will host another training session for Chinese singers, culminating in a competition; the winner of the Beijing competition will be offered a position at a future MDLO Young Artist Institute session in Maryland.

Many recent graduates of the Institute are appearing on opera stages around the country. Baritone SeungHyeon Baek has been hired by Fairbanks Opera as Tonio in I Pagliacci, and soprano CongCong Wang sang the leading role of Violetta in La Traviata at Opera San Jose after training in two MDLO Young Artist Institutes. And, of course, the pipeline of artists from the training Institutes into the productions planned for MDLO’s 2018–2019 performance season is strong, with more than a dozen alumni cast in roles in La Fanciulla del West and Lucia di Lammermoor.

“I have been extraordinarily pleased with the steady upward trend in the quality of the singers and performances in our inaugural season of the MDLO Young Artist Institute, and I am gratified that so many of them have been cast in our upcoming productions,” said MDLO Music Director Louis Salemno. “With the invaluable assistance of Head of Voice Faculty William Stone, we have created a strong foundation for the future growth of this program.”

“We are so gratified to have the recent refocusing of MDLO’s mission be validated by the overwhelming response to our first call for applications to the Institute,” said Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark. “There is clearly an important need for the kind of training we are providing to young artists, and it has been exciting to track the progress these gifted singers are making under the guidance of our world-class coaching staff.”

Maryland Lyric Opera, founded in 2014 and reorganized for expansion with a new strategic plan in 2017, has recently expanded its career-development programs for young artists, returned to producing fully staged productions of operas in intimate settings, and continues to grow its outreach programs to the local community. The company has produced fully staged performances of Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Roméo et Juliette, and Amahl and the Night Visitors; created a national vocal competition that draws an impressive field of emerging artists; hosted master classes for young singers with opera luminaries Sherrill Milnes and Aprile Millo; and presented a variety of gala performances, recitals, and holiday programs.

ABOUT MARYLAND LYRIC OPERA

A company committed to education, Maryland Lyric Opera’s mission is to provide employment to all creative artists who are part of the production of opera, and to bring together seasoned professionals with promising young talent for mutually rewarding collaborations. To that end, the MDLO Young Artist Institute and High School Mentorship Programs were created to ensure that the next generations of singers are exposed to and have the opportunity to learn from experienced opera professionals who have spent years studying and improving their craft on the world’s stages. In its short history, MDLO has also produced major operatic works by the likes of Gounod, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, and Menotti, as well as a national vocal competition, aria concerts, and chamber works. MDLO is further dedicated to bringing performances to those who do not have regular access to the professional arts. Programs such as Sharing Music, Sharing Love bring unique operatic performances to vulnerable populations who are underserved and in need.

(HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND)—Maryland Lyric Opera (MDLO) today announces the roster for its first session of the MDLO Young Artist Institute, the cornerstone of its new growth and revitalization plan announced in October. The Institute—led by Music Director Louis Salemno and Head of Voice Faculty William Stone—drew an extraordinary 184 applications for its 8 open positions. Instruction began on November 27, 2017 and will culminate with a Gala Concert at The Mansion at Strathmore on December 15, 2017.

“We are so gratified to have the recent refocusing of MDLO’s mission be validated by the overwhelming response to our first call for applications to the Institute,” said Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark. “There is clearly an important need for the kind of training we are providing to young artists, and it has been exciting to track the progress these gifted singers are making under the guidance of our world-class coaching staff.”

The singers in the first session of the MDLO Young Artist Institute are sopranos Kelly Glyptis, Melissa Mino, and Cong Cong Wang; mezzo-soprano Chelsea Laggan; tenors Yi Li and Chaz'men Williams-Ali; and baritone Javier Arrey. These rising young stars have been seen on the international stages of the Vienna State Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, as well as locally at Washington National Opera, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Opera, the Castleton Festival, Washington Concert Opera, Opera Delaware, Baltimore Concert Opera, Bel Cantati Opera, and Baltimore’s Young Victorian Theatre Company, among others. Full biographies of the singers are available at MarylandLyricOpera.org.

“It was an exhilarating experience to put together this first class of young artists, many of whom were completely unknown to me when I first heard them at auditions. It is thrilling to hear fresh voices and then have so much dedicated time to work with them on unlocking their full potential,” said MDLO Music Director Louis Salemno. “These singers are all at different stages of their artistic development and careers, and I can already see that our intensive training regimen is helping them each grow to the next level. I am very much looking forward to their performance at the Gala Concert.”

On the final day of each Institute session, the singers perform in a Gala Concert that is free to the local community. The first Gala Concert is scheduled for Friday, December 15, 2017 at 7 p.m. at The Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland. The program will feature some of the most popular arias in all of opera, with piano accompaniment provided by MDLO Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark. Limited seating is available; contact MDLO@marylandlyricoera.org for more information and seat reservations. In keeping with the organization’s mission, singers are paid an honorarium for all public performances.

In its inaugural season, the MDLO Young Artist Institute is offering four sessions of intensive vocal instruction to promising young artists. Future sessions will be held February 5–23, 2018; April 2–20, 2018; and June 4–22, 2018. To eliminate the financial burden on singers at the start of their careers, the MDLO Young Artist Institute does not charge application or tuition fees. The application can be found at YAP Tracker, and the application deadline for the February session is Friday, January 5, 2018. Questions can be directed to mdlo@marylandlyricopera.org.

Maryland Lyric Opera, founded in 2014 and reorganized for expansion in 2017, has produced fully staged performances of Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Roméo et Juliette, and Amahl and the Night Visitors; created a national vocal competition that drew an impressive field of emerging artists; hosted master classes for young singers with opera luminaries Sherrill Milnes and Aprile Millo; and presented a variety of gala performances, recitals, and holiday programs. With its new strategic plan, it will expand its career-development programs for young artists, return to producing fully staged productions of operas in intimate settings, and grow its outreach programs to the local community.

Recruitment now underway for invigorated program, which will remain completely free to young singers; Four intensive sessions, each followed by free showcase Gala Concerts, planned for 2017–2018 season

Acclaimed conductor Louis Salemno appointed Music Director Legendary American baritone William Stonenamed Head of Voice Faculty

Plans for 2018–2019 season and beyond include a return to fully staged productions

(HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND)—Maryland Lyric Opera (MDLO) today announces a bold growth and revitalization plan beginning with its current 2017–2018 season, including the expansion of its agship MDLO Young Artist Institute, the appointments of Louis Salemno as Music Director and William Stone as Head of Voice Faculty, and a return to fully staged productions beginning with the 2018–2019 season.

“By expanding its MDLO Young Artist Institute, and by naming Louis Salemno and Bill Stone to key positions in its administration, Maryland Lyric Opera rededicates itself to its mission of providing essential training and performance opportunities to the most gifted performers of the next generation,” said Founder and Artistic Director Brad Clark. “With key personnel in place, I am proud that we can grow our training regimen to include more students than ever before, and to keep the program completely free.”

In its inaugural season, the MDLO Young Artist Institute will o er four sessions of intensive vocal instruction to promising young singers. These sessions, which will be held in Bethesda, Maryland, are scheduled for November 27 to December 15, 2017; February 5– 23, 2018; April 2–20, 2018; and June 4–22, 2018. On the nal day of each Institute session, the singers will perform in a Gala Concert that will be free to the local community. More details on the series of Gala Concerts will be announced soon.

In order to eliminate the nancial burden on singers at the start of their careers, the MDLO Young Artist Institute will not charge application or tuition fees. In keeping with the organization’s mission, singers will be paid an honorarium for all public performances. Singers should go to MarylandLyricOpera.org for more details; the application can be found at YAP Tracker. Questions can be directed to mdlo@marylandlyricopera.org. Beginning with the 2018–2019 season, MDLO will return to producing fully staged opera performances at an intimately scaled theater in Maryland. The repertory will be a mix of popular classics as well as operas that are rarely performed in the region.

“We believe that Maryland is ripe for more productions of opera and the MDLO Young Artist Institute will help us create a pipeline of fresh voices who can sing in the performances we are planning for future seasons,” said MDLO’s Music Director Louis Salemno. “I am excited to join MDLO and work with this great team to help bring magic and meaning to opera in our community.”

Maryland Lyric Opera, founded in 2014 and reorganized for expansion in 2017, has produced fully staged performances of Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Roméo et Juliette, and Amahl and the Night Visitors; created a national vocal competition that drew an impressive eld of emerging artists; hosted master classes for young singers with opera luminaries Sherrill Milnes and Aprile Millo; and presented a variety of gala performances, recitals, and holiday programs. With its new strategic plan, it will expand its career- development programs for young artists, return to producing fully staged productions of operas in intimate settings, and grow its outreach programs to the local community.

Save the Date for MDLO Young Artist Institute Gala Concerts

Friday, December 15, 2017

Friday, February 23, 2018

Friday, April 20, 2018

Friday, June 22, 2018

Locations and times for all concerts will be announced soon.

ABOUT MDLO’S FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR BRAD CLARK

Collaborative pianist and music administrator Brad Clark is the Founder and Artistic Director of Maryland Lyric Opera. He earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Maryland and two degrees from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America: a Masters of Music in musicology and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in collaborative piano. Subsequent to his studies, he served as the rehearsal pianist for the Summer Opera Theatre Company in Washington. He has performed in recitals with singers and instrumentalists throughout the United States and Europe including performances with the Kennedy Center Chamber Players, the Amal Coast Music and Arts Festival, and celebrated soloists Randall Outland and Aprile Millo.

He has also accompanied master classes for such renowned artists as Birgit Nilsson, Pinchas Zukerman, Richard Stoltzman, Carter Brey, Lynn Harrell, Sir James Galway, and others. He is the founder and artistic director of the Avalon Chamber Ensemble and the Wiscasset Salon Series, whose objective is to recreate the intimate performances that were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries where audiences experienced music in a close, personal way. Secondary goals for the series include giving emerging artists valuable performance opportunities and developing new classical music audiences through invitations to these free performances to individuals who might not otherwise attend. He also serves on the board of Child Justice, an organization that seeks to provide legal and therapeutic help to abused children. He leads Maryland Lyric Opera alongside General Manager Matthew Woorman.

ABOUT MDLO’S NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR LOUIS SALEMNO

Louis Salemno is an acclaimed vocal coach, conductor, and music director. For nearly a decade, he was the Resident Coach with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera, and has also worked with the young artist programs at the Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Spain and at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After studies with Nadia Boulanger in France, he was trained at the Curtis Institute of Music in his native Philadelphia by Mieczyslaw Horszowski and Max Rudolf. He began his career by serving on the conducting sta of Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

He has been a frequent guest conductor of New Orleans Opera and at Houston Grand Opera, where he conducted new productions of Aida, Hansel and Gretel, and Dialogues of the Carmelites. He has been a regular guest conductor with opera companies throughout North America, including Opéra de Montréal, New York City Opera, Vancouver Opera, Seattle Opera, Florentine Opera Company, Opera Paci c, Opera Philadelphia, Baltimore Opera, The Dallas Opera, Opera Columbus, Opera Carolina, Michigan Opera Theatre, and many others. He has previously served as Music Director of Portland Opera, Artistic Director of Manitoba Opera, and as Principal Guest Conductor of the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad.

ABOUT MDLO’S NEW HEAD OF VOICE FACULTY WILLIAM STONE

Celebrated baritone William Stone is one of the most sought-after vocal coaches in the opera world today. He is Professor Emeritus of Voice and Opera at Temple University and is currently on the Voice Faculty at the world-renowned Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. In addition to his teaching career, he has sung extensively in the major opera houses of Europe and especially in Italy, having twice opened the May Festival in Florence as Wozzeck and as Orestes in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride under Riccardo Muti. His North American opera engagements include the Metropolitan Opera—in Moses und Aron, Wozzeck, La traviata, Sly, Die Fledermaus, Roméo et Juliette, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Madama Butter y—and the New York City Opera, as the Count in Le nozze di Figaro and the title roles in new productions of Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler and Busoni’s Doktor Faust. His creation of the role of Adam for the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s world premiere of Penderecki’s Paradise Lost was followed by his debut at La Scala in the work’s European premiere and a performance at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II. With Sir Georg Solti he performed the Count in Le nozze di Figaro on a Chamber Orchestra of Europe tour to London, Paris, and Cologne; other appearances with Maestro Solti include Sharpless in a new production of Madama Butter y at the Opéra national de Paris, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia in Stuttgart, Germont in La traviata in Frankfurt and Nantes, Ford in Falstaf at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, and Rodrigo in Don Carlos at the Dutch National Opera. As a concert artist, he has appeared with every major orchestra in the country, including the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur and the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa. His long relationship with Robert Shaw resulted in two Grammy Award®–winning recordings.

ABOUT MARYLAND LYRIC OPERA

A company committed to education, Maryland Lyric Opera’s mission is to provide employment to all creative artists who are part of the production of opera, and to bring together seasoned professionals with promising young talent for mutually rewarding collaborations. To that end, the MDLO Young Artist Institute and High School Mentorship Programs were created to ensure that the next generations of singers are exposed to and have the opportunity to learn from experienced opera professionals who have spent years studying and improving their craft on the world’s stages. In its short history, MDLO has also produced major operatic works by the likes of Gounod, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, and Menotti, as well as a national vocal competition, aria concerts, and chamber works. MDLO is further dedicated to bringing performances to those who do not have regular access to the professional arts. Programs such as Sharing Music, Sharing Love bring unique operatic performances to vulnerable populations who are underserved and in need.

We wanted to update you on what we have been up to lately. Maryland Lyric Opera has been busy with two new programs; Sharing Music, Sharing Love& MDLO Young Artist Summer Institute 2017.

MDLO Young Artist Summer Institute 2017

This past summer we were able to collaborate with American conductor Louis Salemno, Legendary baritone Sherrill Milnes, baritone Javier Arrey, and the Italian Institute for Culture of Washington, DC to bring a three-week vocal intensive for young singers in the process of developing a career. MDLO provided daily coaching six days a week with Louis Salemno which was the foundation of our program. Singers also had 2-3 voice lessons per week with baritone Javier Arrey. During the program each participant had the opportunity to speak with Sherrill Milnes as he gave advice for the young artists as well as answered their questions. At the conclusion of the three-week program, the participants performed a program prepared by Salemno. For the concert, MDLO Founder Brad Clark was at the piano along with young artist Christopher Koelzer. Clark and Koelzer played the two piano arrangement of or December 2016 production of Amahl and The Night Visitors in Falls Church, VA which you may have attended!

Sharing Music, Sharing Love

MDLO was grateful for the opportunity to take our Sharing Music, Sharing Love Tour to three great locations in June and July. We visited Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and Rockville Assembly of God where many organizations from around Montgomery County joined together to share music, love, and food!

MDLO's Founder Brad Clark collaborated with baritone Javier Arrey to bring world class music and artistry to populations that do not have ready access to such things. We begin our journey at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD at their McAuley Chapel where we performed for the hospital's patients, caregivers, and support staff as well as live streaming the performance to patient rooms. The next stop was Children's National Medical Center where we were able to serve the folks at the hospital who were waiting to receive treatment or had just seen their doctors. An excellent opportunity to lighten some children's lives as they had one of many difficult days in their road to recovery.

The third concert was held at Rockville Assembly of God Church (RAG) where MDLO was able to host a concert for our VIP Guests from the National Center for Children and Families (NCCF), Interfaith Works Women's Center, Interfaith Works Carroll House, Catholic Charities Men's Shelter,Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, and more. MDLO chartered transportation to pick up folks from their programs and bring them to the concert and then back. Volunteers from RAG were there to ride the bus with our VIP Guests. We were also able to secure a partial donation of food for a dinner for this special audience thanks to Buca di Beppo in Gaithersburg.

Special thanks go to out the folks at PianoCraft in Gaithersburg, MD for providing a pianos for this special concert series. Thanks to Shaun Tirrell and PianoCraft, we were able to perform with beautiful instruments.

We look forward to the opportunity to bring more concerts to folks this coming holiday season with your help!

MDLO is collaborating with baritone Javier Arrey in order to bring world class music and artistry to populations that do not have ready access to such things. The genesis of the project comes from Mr. Arrey's previous experience in his native Chile where he developed a program called "Niños a la Opera" in which he performed several concerts for children suffering from domestic abuse. Now, Mr. Arrey has teamed up with Brad Clark and Maryland Lyric Opera in order to reach specific populations in Maryland and around the region. We begin our journey today with a free concert at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD at their McAuley Chapel where we will perform for the hospital's patients, caregivers, and support staff as well as live streaming the performance to patient rooms.

Additional performances to be held for area pediatric hospitals as well as for several shelters and transitional housing organizations in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties as well as the District of Columbia.

Special thanks go to out the folks at PianoCraft in Gaithersburg, MD for providing a grand piano this very special concert series.

Today seems like a great time to curl up with a good book, OR a great recording of Beethoven's 9th Symphony as the snow falls!

We are very proud to join Maestro Glenn Quader and The Piedmont Symphony Orchestra in its 20th Anniversary Celebration along with the voices of The Reston Chorale (celebrating their 50th Anniversary!) and the American University Chorus in producing Beethoven's 9th Symphony! Beethoven's 9th has been long celebrated as one of the greatest works of oratorio which brings massive numbers of vocalists (over 135 in this case!!) and a fantastic orchestra together to make joyous sounds! We are very happy that some of our soloists have joined us from past MDLO Productions!

Our Beethoven's 9th soloists: Merideth Marano returns after appearing as our Juliette in Roméo et Juliette (2015), Nedda in I Pagliacci (2014), and having been a part of our MDLO Emerging Artist Program. We are glad she is able to join us, having recently moved to Seattle, Washington!

Anamer Castrello returns to MDLO after appearing as Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette (2015) and Mama Lucia in Cavallaria Rusticana (2014). We thank Anamer for adding constant and essential energy and life to our organization and making time from her busy performing schedule! Duane A. Moody returns after joining us as Canio in I Pagliacci (2014). We are happy he is able to join us again from his busy performing schedule (including engagements with the Three Mo' Tenors) and faculty duties at Berklee College of Music.

Javier Arrey joins MDLO for the first time after his debut as Marcello in La Bohème at The Vienna State Opera and joining the Metropolitan Opera roster this year. We are very fortunate to have Javier between engagements!

We are grateful to all who continue to support us in so many ways including those who have offered their time and expertise in furthering our goals, and those of our partner organizations

My best wishes to you and your family as you enjoy or struggle to conquer the snowfall! I look forward to seeing you at the Hylton Center in Manassas for this wonderful event.

With warm wishes after the snowfall,

Brad ClarkPresident and FounderMaryland Lyric Opera

Introducing our Beethoven 9 Soloists

The PSO is proud to welcome soloists from the Maryland Lyric Operain our upcoming performance of Beethoven's 9th at the Hylton Center.

Click the soloist name below to read more abouttheir incredible backgrounds and performances

It is always a great time to contribute to MDLO! As you prepare your 2016 taxes, consider that your tax deductible contributions ensure that MDLO can continue to bring the community together through the power of music.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Maryland Lyric Opera presents Menotti's timeless classic holiday opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors. One of the most popular holiday classics of all time, Amahl and the Night Visitorstells the story of a miraculous encounter between Amahl, a boy with a lame leg, and the Three Kings. The moving tale is a timeless and inspiring message of how faith, charity, unselfish love, and good deeds can work miracles. This family-friendly holiday classic is a one-act, 45-minute opera, sung in English, and performed with two pianos and professional soloists. Piano accompaniment provided by Christopher Koelzer and MDLO Founder and Executive Director Brad Clark. Conducted by MDLO Associate Conductor Joshua Bavaroand directed by MDLO Interim Artistic Director, Shelley Waite.

Amahl and the Night Visitors was the first network television Christmas special to become an annual tradition. There had already been several television productions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol since about 1947, but they had not been shown annually or presented by the same television network, with the same general technical staff, as Amahl was. Until 1963, Amahl was nearly always presented with many of the same singers and production staff. From 1951 until 1966 it was presented every year on NBC (which commissioned Menotti to write it) on or around Christmas Eve, as an episode of an existing anthology series, such as The Alcoa Hour, NBC Television Opera, or the Hallmark Hall of Fame. The 1978 production of Amahl also premiered on NBC, before it went to cable television in the early 1980s.

About Aprile Millo:

Aprile Millo made a Cinderella-like debut at the Metropolitan Opera on December 3, 1984, replacing an ailing colleague. The next day’s papers heralded the birth of a “New Verdi Star!” and 28 years later, Millo is still winning praise from critics and ovations from an adoring public.

Ms. Millo has sung over 180 performances of 15 different roles at her artistic home of the Metropolitan Opera. Outside New York, she has triumphed in the theaters of Frankfurt,

Recordings include a critically acclaimed Verdi series for Sony Classical (Aida, Il Trovatore, Luisa Miller and Don Carlo), DVD of Un Ballo in Maschera (The Met, Levine and Pavarotti), Emmy winning broadcast DVD of Aida (The Met, Levine and Domingo) and a Christmas disc entitled “Christmas Through the Ages!”

Ms. Millo has been awarded many prizes including First Prize at the Voci Verdiane Concorso, the Montserrat Caballe-Bernabe ‘Merti Special Verdi Prize, Francisco Viñas Prize, The

About Our Competition:

Maryland Lyric Opera proudly presents the finalists for our 2016 vocal competition.From a pool of more than 250 applicants, nine finalists will compete at a Gala Concert on Sunday, August 7th for prizes totaling more than $25,000.

When you join us for this spectacular event featuring conductor Glenn Quader and the Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra, you, too, will have a chance to be one of our judges when you vote to select the winner of the Audience Prize, worth $5,000!